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Ford F-150 Diesel Indefinitely Put on Hold

The number of projects cancelled or delayed as a result of the economic turmoil is growing day by day. For example, Ford is now considering putting on hold the diesel engine prepared for the refreshed Fusion, partially due to the economic recession but also because of the falling petrol prices which brought the gasoline-powered units back in the spotlights.

Ford was one of the first automakers which rushed and came out with the news of a diesel engines, claiming its new powerplant would be capable of delivering very high power corroborated with reduced emissions and fuel consumption. The 4.4-liter V8 diesel unit was said to join the new Fusion in 2010 but, according to Ford's American chief Mark Fields, there's no confirmed date for the introduction of this particular engine.

A report by Autonews however gives us a hint into how the future Fusion diesel will look like. It appears that Ford is now planning to roll out the powerplant in 2013, the year when the company estimates that a diesel configuration would be at least as attractive in the United States as a traditional gasoline unit.

Nevertheless, it's still unclear whether Ford plans to offer the new diesel as standard on all F-150 model or only launch it as an option or separate trim.

Still, nobody knows for sure if a diesel variant of the popular F-150 would make sense given the current economic situation of the American auto industry. But even so, US buyers seem to have changed their perspective over vehicles, with diesel configurations likely to increase their overall market share within the next few years.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
Bogdan Popa profile photo

Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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